divine decree, though the eventual completion was yet to come. The difficulty, perhaps, may be removed, by rendering these first three verses in the present time; "LORD, thou art favourable to thy land, thou bringest back the captivity of thy people," &c. that is, Thou art the God whose property it is to do this, and to show such mercy to thy people, who therefore call upon thee for the same. But, indeed, to us Christians, who now use the Psalm, the difference is not material; since a part of our redemption is past, and a part of it is yet to come, for the hastening of which latter we daily pray. God hath already been exceedingly gracious and "favourable" to the whole "earth," in "bringing "back," by the resurrection of Jesus, the spiritual captivity of" his people; he hath himself, in Christ, "borne," and so taken away, "the iniquity " of his people;" he hath "covered all their sins," that they should no more appear in judgement against them: propitiated by the Son of his love, he hath removed his "wrath," and "turned himself from "the fierceness of his anger." So exactly and literally do these words describe the means and method of Gospel salvation, that a Christian can hardly affix any other ideas to them.

4. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger towards us to cease. 5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 6. Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? 7. Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation,

The ancient church is here introduced as petitioning for the continuation and completion of those blessings which had been mentioned in the foregoing verses, namely, that God would "turn" his people from their captivity, and "cause his anger towards "them to cease;" that he would "revive" them from sin and sorrow, and give them occasion to “rejoice "in him," their mighty deliverer; that he would "show them" openly that "mercy" of which they had so often heard, and "grant them that salvation," or that "Saviour," that JESUS, who had been so long promised to mankind. And although it be true that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, and hath virtually procured all these blessings for the church, yet do "we" still continue to pray, in the same words, for the actual application of them all to ourselves, by the conversion of our hearts, the justification of our persons, the sanctification of our souls, and the glorification of our bodies. For this last blessing of redemption, "the whole creation waiteth, groaning, "and travailing in pain together, UNTIL NOW." Rom. viii. 22.

8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak : for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints; but let them not turn again to folly: or, that they may not turn again to folly.

The Prophet having prayed, in the name of the church, that Jehovah would "show them his mercy, "and grant them his salvation," declares himself resolved, concerning this "salvation, to enquire and "search diligently, what, or what manner of time "the Spirit of Christ which was in him did signify,

"when it testified beforehand the coming of Christ, "and the glory that should follow;" see 1 Pet. i. 10. he would attend to "what God the LORD "should say," and report it to the world. Now, what was the message which the prophets had commission to deliver from God, but that he would

speak peace," or reconciliation through a Saviour, "to his people, and to his saints?" The Gospel is accordingly styled by St. Peter, "the word which "God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ:" Acts x. 36. And what was the end of this reconciliation between God and men, but that men should become and continue the servants of God; that, being washed from their sins by the blood of Christ, and renewed in their minds by the grace of Christ, they should walk in the paths of wisdom and holiness, and "turn not again to the folly" they had renounced ?”.

9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

God, who "calleth things that be not as though they were," teacheth his prophets to do likewise. The Psalmist therefore speaks with assurance of the "Saviour," as if he then saw him before his eyes, healing, by the word of his power, the bodies and the souls of men upon earth, and manifesting forth his" glory," in human nature, to all such as, with a holy “fear," and filial reverence, believed on him. St. John himself hardly useth plainer language when he saith," the Word was made flesh, and dwelt, " or tabernacled, among us; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,

"full of grace and truth;" John i. 14. The body of Christ was the true "tabernacle," or temple; his Divinity was the GLORY which resided there, and filled that holy place. The church is his mystical "body;" by his Spirit he now and ever" dwelleth "in our land; and his salvation is always nigh them "that fear him ;" as saith the holy Virgin in her song. "His mercy is on them that fear him, throughout all 'generations."

10. Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

These four divine attributes parted at the fall of Adam, and met again at the birth of Christ. Mercy was ever inclined to save man, and Peace could not be his enemy; but Truth exacted the performance of God's threat, "The soul that sinneth, it shall "die;" and Righteousness could not but give to every one his due. Jehovah must be true in all his ways, and righteous in all his works. Now there is no religion upon earth, except the Christian, which can satisfy the demands of all these claimants, and restore an union between them; which can show how God's word can be true, and his work just, and the sinner, notwithstanding, find mercy, and obtain peace. Mahomet's prayer, were it the prayer of a righteous man and a prophet, could not satisfy divine justice; the blood of bulls and goats were always insufficient for that purpose, being a figure only for the time then present, which ceased of course when "Sacrifice and burnt-offering

the reality appeared.

"thou wouldest not; then said I, Lo, I come." A God incarnate reconciled all things in heaven and earth. When Christ appeared in our nature, the promise was fulfilled, and "Truth sprang out of the "earth." And now Righteousness, "looking down "from heaven," beheld in him every thing that she required; an undefiled birth, a holy life, an inno cent death; a spirit and a mouth without guile, a soul and a body without sin. She saw, and was satisfied, and returned to earth. Thus all the four parties met again in perfect harmony: Truth ran to Mercy, and embraced her; Righteousness to Peace, and kissed her. And this could happen only at the birth of Jesus, in whom "the tender Mercy " of our God visited us, and who is the Truth; who "is made unto us Righteousness, and who is our "Peace." See Luke i. 78. John xiv. 6. 1 Cor. i. 30. Ephes. ii. 14. Those that are thus joined, as attributes, in Christ, ought not, as virtues, to be separated in a Christian, who may learn how to resemble his blessed Lord and Master, by observing that short, but complete, rule of life, comprehended in the few following words: Show Mercy, and speak Truth: do Righteousness, and follow Peace. See St. Bernard, in his Sermon on the Annunciation; and, from him, bishop Andrews on these two verses of our Psalm *.

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* Solutâ captivitate, felicem populi statum designat, omni bonorum copiâ et virtutibus florentis; quæ maximè impleta sunt, postquam Christus, ipsa veritas, idemque pax nostra, terrâ ortus est. BOSSUET.